In practically any city in the world, on some corner or some street, you will find an Irish pub. But now, for the first time, Irish pubs around the world will be getting to know each other. Irish Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan launched an official network of nearly 7,000 global Irish pubs on Tuesday, creating a platform from which Irish pub owners can collaborate for mutual benefit and the benefit of Ireland.

The Irish Pubs Global Federation is an extension of Irish Pubs Global, which aims to create and support a strong global community of Irish pub owners, managers and suppliers. With this new platform, Irish pub owners all over the world can easily communicate and coordinate.

“Basically, we’re bringing together different chapters of Irish pubs. So say 35 pubs in Germany yesterday is one chapter, then another hundred on Thursday in Chicago,” said Enda O’Coineen, the Federation’s founder.

O’Coineen told TheJournal.ie that the new network wants to combine the presences of its members to create “something greater than their whole.”

“In Ireland the industry is well-organized, but internationally the understanding wasn’t there before,” O’Coineen said.

“We’ve actually been under siege in Ireland a little bit, so this new network is a way of reinventing the whole concept of what we are.”

He continued: “Before there was never a way to coordinate this huge resource for everyone’s benefit and that’s where the Federation comes in. Together we can exchange ideas and links and work towards greater business and profitability for all.”

Nearly 7,000 pubs have signed on in the operation with hopes of successfully linking up with one another and also provide an opportunity to other Irish hospitality suppliers.

“With the internet and new technology we can bring it all together,” O’Coineen said. “Now with all members pulling their weight a little bit, great things can be achieved.”

An Irish Pubs Global Gathering Event will take place on Feb 26-28 in Dublin.